1-1/4" pipe size 304 SS pipe and weld-els
1/2" SS water-cut flanges
TIG welded
Tech Line Black Satin Ceramic Coating
 

Pics
 

http://www.geocities.com/jeg1976/Header/

Flange drawings
 

http://www.geocities.com/jeg1976/flanges/flanges.html

Header FAQ
 

1.   Those flanges look great.  I was thinking that if
       someone produced just the collector without the
       attached pipes, that it would be something others
       would be interested in buying.  That and the flanges
       maybe.
 

The only problem with that is many times the welder will need to take things apart to get at certain welds.  Granted many of
those are in the collector.  I am looking into having more flanges made, but I honestly think just using my drawings at a local shop would be best.
 
 

2.    I want to do something like this myself.  I can MIG
       weld, but have no TIG welding experience or
       equipment.  I don't know if that would be good
       enough.  Your welds look awesome.  Maybe I can tack
       up something and have a TIG welder do it up like you
       did.

I was going to try and MIG the whole thing, but then reality sunk in.  Just go get some 308 or 316 SS wire, some argon, and
tack weld it.  Make them as small as possible because your welder will most likely grind them off anyways.
 

2.     I don't even know where to buy weld-els.  Did you
       source them locally or order them from somewhere?

https://www.mcmaster.com/ has them, that's who I used.
 

3.    It looks like you used PVC piping to mock up what
       the shapes needed to be.  I think I got a good
       understanding of how to do this from looking at your
       pictures, thanks for putting them up.  The plastic
       pipe you used seems to be the perfect diameter to
       imitate the weld-els.

Yea, PVC is much softer and cheaper than SS, and the bends are pretty close to the weld-els for dimensions.  I used it just to try and visualize the fit before I started hacking at the SS.
 

4.    Are the straight pieces of piping also weld-els, or
       is that  called something else?

Strait Schedule 10 1.25" 304 SS pipe, $4-$5 per foot.  I bought 10 feet, and have 5 feet left.
 

5.    So, did you do everything except for the actual
       final TIG welding?

Yes

6.     Meaning you used the cutoff saw
       and tack welds?

Yes

7.    I suppose the measurements for the
       flanges were just taken off the stock manifold?
 

I used the gaskets to make the measurements.
 

8 .  (speaking of which, this means you could use any
       turbo at all, including those that don't bolt onto
       the Audi manifold, not that I know of a particularly
       better turbo to bolt on)
 

Yes, I was really tempted to go with a Garrett flange, but I have an almost new turbo that I couldn't justify replacing.  It will
be easy to weld a different flange on in the future if I want.
 

9.   I notice the turbo is angled so that the exhaust
       output is pointing down, I assume this is to direct
       the output right at the downpipe, right?  I know
       that is probably a stupid question, but I just want
       to understand the thought process involved.
 

That, and so the turbo intake points to a spot where I can run a pipe under the fender for the air filter.
 

10.  I suppose something that cuts super-straight like
       that is necessary to get a good joint.

The best tool I had was and angle grinder with a cut-off wheel.  I made quick work of the SS.  The chop saw is fairly
important since many times you do need really strait cuts.  A compound mitre saw with a cut off wheel would work even
better so you can get some nice clean angles.